Recipe of the Week: Road Trip Picnics

Now that summer is here - day trips and vacations are more prevalent. The ‘recipe’ this week is some suggestions for picnics…assuming a good ice chest and some thoughtful preparation before starting down the road.

Do you want to eat while driving or at a picnic table/on a blanket?

If you need to eat while you drive - select foods that can be eaten without a lot of fumbling or mess. Vegetables and fruits that are naturally (or can be cut into) easily consumed bites without anything left over; prepare the food in serving sized containers before you set out. Keep in mind that eating one thing at a time is easiest. A moist (not crumbly) muffin can also be consumed easily while driving as can larger nuts (i.e. avoid smaller nuts like sunflower seeds since they are more challenging to handle while driving).

Picnicking with a table or blanket is easy - particularly if the ice chest can be brought directly to the area from the car. The old standby of sandwich and fruit can be prepared ahead of time or assembled just before eating. I prefer to take the ingredients separately: toasted bread, smoked turkey, lettuce, tomato, and other condiments; even though this requires a plate and a knife - there is no risk of soggy bread as sometimes happens with sandwiches prepared ahead of time. My favorite picnic lunch is a chef salad assembled on a large plate from little containers of ingredients packed in the ice chest. Or consider having food borrowed from an afternoon tea menu as a light lunch: spreadable egg salad used as a dip for cucumber slices, a muffin, and pieces of fruit.

All of these choices are nutritious and won’t leave you too sleepy to continue on down the road! Enjoy!